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Baseball Fans Break Into Hot Car To Rescue Pit Bull Puppy

The game between the Kansas City Royals and the Detroit Tigers ended up going 13 innings.

And for much of that time, a 16-week-old puppy was locked in a car outside the stadium.

Temperatures were in the low 90s during Sunday's game in Kansas City - and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. The sun was beating down on a blue Honda sedan with its lone tiny occupant whimpering inside.

Luckily, Josh Lee and his family left the game early and stepped in to help.

In a series of tweets, Lee recalls how his family came across the crying puppy while they were making their exit.

"We just followed the whimpers and whines right to the car," Lee would later tell KMBC news, adding there was no food or water inside the car.

The group manged to wedge the windows down and open the car, freeing the puppy at last.

Lee called police, who then got in touch with stadium staff.

"Right when that door opened, I've never seen an animal so happy to be outside," Lee's brother, Michael Warner, told KMBC. "I mean he came running out ... licking every person that touched him, just overjoyed to be out there."

Sorry to flood TL's but look how cute the pup that we saved is. @_whitehulk_
https://t.co/Z2e8uUh9o3

— Tual Mahomys #NDinKC (@Notre_Josh)

But even an hour after the game had ended, the owner didn't show up to claim him.

"Considering that the game ended in the 13th and we found the pup in the eighth," Lee said in an interview with the Kansas City Star, "we very well may have saved his young life."

They're calling him "rally" dog. Royals found this pup in a hot car at the stadium. Tune into #TodayInIowa this AM https://t.co/5jTQBtlMrR

— KWWL (@KWWL)

As for the puppy's owners, the city is investigating the incident as animal cruelty - with a conviction carrying a maximum prison sentence of 180 days and a $1,000 fine.

Currently, the puppy is staying with local rescue KC Pet Project, while his original owners have a few days to step forward and claim him.